Perry boy gives lemonade money to church’s ‘love fund’

Jennifer Harries, Perry, remembers the day her son, Cameron, 4, learned to make lemonade during Vacation Bible School sponsored by the Perry United Methodist Church and St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.

Cameron Harries, 4, prepares a cup of lemonade for a customer. Cameron is the son of Brandon and Jennifer Harries, Perry.

“He told me in the car on the way home that he wanted a lemonade stand,” Harries said.

“He also wanted to wear a yellow shirt so everyone would know he was the lemonade man.”

Not only was Cameron sure that he wanted a lemonade stand, Harries noted, he was even more positive about how the proceeds would be used.

“He wanted to give all his lemonade earnings to the Love Fund,” she said, explaining that the Love Fund is a project of the United Methodist Church to help families in the Perry-Lecompton area who are experiencing financial hardship.

While Cameron wanted to hold the fundraiser in front of his house, Harries persuaded him that her sister Kim Smith’s yard in Perry would be better.

“We live in the country on a dead end dirt road,” she explained. “He probably wouldn’t have more than four cars go by.”

The location change was a good one: Although his stand was only open for two hours on Saturday morning, his lemonade and rice crispy treats brought in donations of $207.

“He was so proud that he got to tell them in front of church this morning how much he earned,” Harries said. “He didn’t want to shut down his stand and he won’t let me throw away his yellow shirt because he wants to have another lemonade stand. We’re very proud of him.”

Since he came up with the fundraiser idea at such a young age, Harries and her husband, Brandon, are sure that he’s going to be the entrepreneur of the family. The Harries also have a daughter, Ella, 2.